Fur-sewing machine



Oct. 8, 1929. J. R. MOFFATT FUR SEWING MACHINE Filed April 2'7, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Oct. 8, 1929, ,J' MOFFATT 1,731,079

FUR SEWING MACHINE Filed April 27, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 w W w -Oct. 8, 1929. J. R. MOFFATT 1,731,079

' FUR SEWING MACHINE Filed April 27 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Oct. 8, 1929. J, R, MOFFATT M 1,731,079

FUR SEWING MACHINE Filed April 7, '1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Oct 8, 1929. J. R. MOFFATT 1,731,079

FUR SEWING MACHINE Filed April 27. 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Oct. 8, 1929 unites STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES R. MOFFATT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO UNION SPECIAL MACHINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS FUR-SEWING MACHINE Application filed April 27, 1925.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in sewing machines, and more particularly to a single thread, cup-feed sewing machine especially constructed for eliiciency and durability and primarily constructed for sewing fur.

An object of the invention is to provide a machine of the above type wherein the looper is given a relatively long dwell while holding the needle thread loop for the needle to enter, and at the same time, is positively operated.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the above type wherein the looper is moved quickly into the needle thread loop and is raised and moved to the opposite side of the material during the for ward movement of the looper, and wherein said loop-er is then retracted to a position adjacent the path of the needle and given a dwell while the needle enters the needle thread loop carried by the looper, and wherein these movements are all positive.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the above type wherein the looper after the needle has moved into the loop thereon is moved forward slightly to clear the needle and is then raised and retracted, and during this retracting movement, said looper sheds the needle thread loop thereon and moves to the opp'osite side of the seam where it is positioned for moving forward into the needle thread loop.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the above type with means for raising or lowering theworking position of the looper.

These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

In the drawings which show by way of illustration one embodiment/of the invention Figure 1 is a side view of a sewing machine embodying the improvements;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine with the top cover plate removed;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Serial No. 26,108.

Fig. 4: is a sectional view on the line H of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the looper;

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the end or the looper showing the needle thread loop thereon and the needle entering said loop from the side of the fabric entered by the needle;

Fig. 7 is a detail in perspective showingthe needle, the material being stitched, and the looper with said looper at the rear end of its stroke;

Fig. 8 is a similar view, but showing the looper as having entered the needle thread loop and moved to the other side of the ma terial, and also to the forward end of its stroke; and

Fig. 9 is a similar view, but showing the looper as retracted to a position adjacent the needle where it dwells while the needle enters the needle thread loop carried by said looper.

The invention is directed, to a sewing machine of the cup feed type which is particularly adapted for sewing fur, and which may be driven at a very high speed. The inner feed cup is intermittently rotated, while the outer feed cup is not driven, but is free to be rotated through the movement of the material by the feeding action of the inner feed cup. The outer feed cup is mounted so that it may be moved away from the inner feed cup to permit the insertion of the material. This inner feed cup is driven in a direction so as to cause the material to pass from left to right through the machine, although this direction of feed might be changed. The stitching mecha nism includes a horizontally reciprocating needle which is positively moved back and forth so as to cause the needle to pass through the edge portions of the material in a line adjacent to and parallel with the edges thereof. The machine includes a horizontal shaft carrying an eccentric which reciprocates the needle bar carrying the needle. The looper is of a non-thread carrying type, and is mounted in a looper bar which in turn is mounted in a looper carrier. The looper bar oscillates in the carrier, but has no endward and forward movement, moving downward to a position so that it will just clear the needle as it enters the needle thread loop.

The looper supporting rod is mountet in a looper carrier37. Said carrier at the rear end thereof is pivoted to a link 38 which in turn is pivoted to a lug 89 carried by a bracket 40 secured to the inner face of the casing 1. The other end. of the looper carrier has a part 41 which is rectangular in cross section, and said rectangular cross section fits in a slot 42 in the casing 1. This slot extends to the upper edge of the casing, and provides a way of readily assembling the looper carrier in the machine. The purpose of this slot is to prevent this looper carrier from oscillating about its longitudinal axis. The looper carrier has :1 depending arm 43. Said depending arm 43 is provided with a laterally projecting arm 44 which is pivoted at on a pin carried by a shaft 46. Said shaft 46 is mounted in a bracket 47. This bracket 47 is secured to the outer face of the casing l by screws 48, 48 which pass through elongated slots, so that the bracket may be raised and lowered. ()n the end of the shaft 46, there is a head 49 which carries the pin to which the arm 44 is pivoted. The depending arm 43 is also pivotally connected to an eccentric strap 50 (see Figures 3 and 4). This eccentric strap 50 cooperates with. an eccentric 51 on the main shaft. This eccentric strap 50 and eccentric 51 are for the purpose of giving an endwise movement to the looper carrier 87, and this endwise movement of the looper carrier will move the looper from one s'de of the material to the other. T he looper carrier is mounted on the link 88 and the enlarged head 49 of the shaft 46, which in effect, is another link, so that the looper carrier at its rear end carried by the depending link, and at its forwarcil end, carried by an upstanding link. This link of the shaft 46 swings from a position which is substantia ly vertical to a position at an angle to the vertical, and this slightly lowers the front end of the looper carrier. The link 38 moves from the vertical position shown in F 3, to a position inclined thereto, as the looper carrier moves to the left, and this will raise the rear end of the looper carrier. As a result of these two link move ments, the looper carrier is raised over the edge of the material, and is then lowered to aid in positioning the looper for the needle to enter the loop carried thereby. It is stated above that the effective link 49 substain tially vertical, but it was meant that the pivot 45 was substantially over the axis of the shaft 6. This 5 not quite true, for the pivot moves to the left of the axis as shown in Fig. 4, and this occurs at a time when the looper is at the forward end of its stroke, and causes the looper to dip slightly, so as to insure its entering the needle thread loop.

The looper is oscillated in the looper carrier by a series of links and levers shown in Fig. 4. The looper carrier 37 1s provided with a cut away portion intermediate its ends and I an arm 52 is located in said cut away portion and clamped to the looper rod 30 in the looper carrier. This arm projects laterally from the looper rod and is provided with a ball head 53 which is adapted to move back and forth in a slotted arm 54 (see Figures 2 and 4). This slotted arm 54 is one arm of a rock lever 55 pivoted at 56 on a short stub shaft carried by a projecting lug 57 formed on the inner face of the casing 1. The slot in the arm 54 is shaped to fit the hall 53 and has a recess in one side thereof, which is suflicicntly wide to per mit said arm 54 to be oscillated without engagement with the arm 52 carrying said ball head. The rock lever 55 has a rearwardly projecting arm 58 which in turn. is pivoted to a link 59. Mounted on the rear inner face of the casing 1 is a bracket 60 which has a forwardly projecting portion 61. An L- shaped lever 62 is pivoted at 63 to said bracket. This L-shaped lever is so arranged as to provide forwardly projecting arms 64. Mounted at the inner end of said arms 64 is a lever 65 which is pivoted at 66 intermediate its ends to said arms 64. The upper end of this lever 65 is pivoted at 67 to the link 59. The lower end of this lever 65 is pivoted at 68 to an eccentric strap 69 which cooperates with an eccentric 70 on the main shaft 10. The lower end of the L-shaped lever 62 is pivoted at 71 to a link 7 2. The upper end of the link 72 is pivoted at 73 to this eccentric strap 69, whichis especially constructed so as to receive both the pivot for the link 72 and the pivot for the lever 65. The eccentric 70 rotates in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 4. As this eccentric rotates, it will rock the L-shaped lever 62 so as to raise and lower the arm 64 and thus bodily raise and lower the lever 65. The eccentric strap will also oscillate said lever and move the link 09 into alinement with the upper arm of said lever 65 and to both sides of said alinement, said link being onthe left-hand side as viewed in Fig. 4, when the looper is entering the needle thread loop, and on the right-hand side of said position when the looper is positioning the loop for the needle to enter the same. These links and levers oscillate the looper rod in the looper carrier. As the looper rod moves in an endwise direction, it will move the hall 53 nearer to or away from the pivot point 56 for the lever 55; It is the movement of these links and levers, and of this ball head back and forth on the lever which actuates it, that brings about the proper movements of the looper. lVhen the looper is at the rear end of its stroke, the'ball head 53 is at the extreme outer end of the arm 54, and therefore, the oscillation of the arm 54 will give a very much quicker. movement to the looper, than when said ball is at the inner end of said arm. Said ball is at the inner end of said arm when the looper is being retracted. lVhen the parts are in the position shown in Fig. '1, the looper is approaching the rear end of its stroke, preparatory to a forward movement into the needle thread loop. As the shaft continues its rotation, the lever will be oscillated, and will move the pivotal connection 67 of the link 59 to said lever, to the left. This, of course, will cause the right-hand end of the lever 55 to be lowered and will in turn swing said lever so as to move the looper forward quickly as above noted. This movement of the eccentric strap which swings the lever 65 in a counter-clockwise direction will also depress slightly the free end of the l..-shaped lever 62 which will cause the lever 65 to move bodily downwardly, and this at to the movement imparted by the toggle like action of the link 59 to the lever 65. in other words, the movement of the lever 65 breaking the toggle, draws down on the arm, and the bodily downward movement of said lever, also draws down on said arm. T his gives ample movement to tl e arm a for the moving of the looper very quickly forwardly into the needle thread loop. After the looper has gotten well into the needle thread loop, during the further oscillation thereof, the carrier is retract-ed so as to carry the looper to the other side of the material, and said carrier is also raised at the forward end so as to carry the looper well over the edges of the material. After said looper is well over the material, then the retracting movement thereof begins. This is accom plished by a downward movement of the arm l, and the downward movement of the arm is brought about by the movements of the link 59 to the position shown in at. During this movement of the lever 65, the lower end of the L-shaped lever 62 is slightly raised, and t iis raises the arm to a slight degree.

From the above it will be noted that the looper is moved into the needle thread loop and to the forward end of its stroke, and then is retracted to a position adjacent the needle by the breaking of the toggles, that is, the connection or the pivotal point 67 to the extreme left as viewed in l, and back again to the position in alinement with too pivot points 55 and 66. At this time, the looper is given a dwell, and this dwell is for the purpose of the looper remaining substantially stationary in a position adjacent the needle path, so as to insure that the needle will enter the needle thread loop on the looper. T he movement of the pivot point 67 to the right of the line join ing' the pivotal points 55 and 66 is considery less than the movement thereof to the left. Furthermore, while thispivotal point 67 is moving to the right, the ball 53 is at the inner end of the slot in the arm 5%. This results in a slight forward movement of the looper so as to cause it to clear the needle.

As soon as the looper can clear the needle, the looper carrier is raised by the means heretofore described, so that the looper may be car ried over the edge of the material. Then the looper is retracted still further, and this is brought about by the links moving back into alinement, or to the position shown in Fig. 4. It is understood that the links move first to the left and then to the right, and as they move to the left to the extreme throw thereof, the looper is moved forward to the extreme end of its throw, and as the links come back to alinement, the looper is retracted to the point where it dwells, then as the links move to the right, the looper is moved slightly forward and is then retracted as the links come back to alinement. The L-shaped lever 62 pivoted to the eccentric strap 69 is oscillated during the rotation of the eccentric. lVhen these links are moving from the position shown in s to the left as described above, the

shaped lever is oscillated so as to lower the pivot point 66 and this will pull down on the lever This downward pull on the l.- shaped lever continues even after the links have reached the extreme left-hand throw, by reason of the factthat the pivot point 73 of the link 72 is moving; to a position more nearly vertically over the pivot point 71. This operates to increase the forward throw of the looper. hen the pivot point 67 is moving back into alinement with the pivot points and 66, the L-shaped lever has very little movements imparted to it. It is practical y at av dwell, and therefore, the retracting movement of the looper to the position where the needle enters the loop carried thereby, is very much shorter, and the looper is brought to a dwell partly through the actuation of the l..-sliaped lever and partly through the toggle links. ll hen the pivot point 67 is moving' to the right, the L-shaped lever is raised at its lower end, and this will raise the point 66 and offset to a certain extent tne pulling down action caused by the buckling of the links, and therefore, comparatively little movement is given to the looper when it moves forward to clear the needle. As the pivot point 67 moves back to alineinent with the pivot points 55 and 66, the looper is being retracted. and this is caused by the raising of the right-hand lever 55 and the depressing of the arm 54, and also by the upward movement of the lower end of the n-shaped lever 62 which lifts the toggle links and thus adds to the movement imparted to the arm 54. By this arrangement, a much longer stroke is given to the looper as it moves from its point where the needle is cleared to the rear end of its stroke. The movement of the looper is as follows. It moves into the needle loop quickly, and thence on to the end of its stroke. It is retracted to a position adjacent the needle path, where it dwells for a moment while the needle is entering the needle thread loop on the looper, and

then said looper is moved forward clear of the needle and finally retracted to begin a new stroke. All of these movements are positive, the looper being under control during its entire movement by the links and the levers described. I I

In order to facilitate the needle in making its stitches around the edges of the material being stitched, I have provided a stitch finger 7st which is carried by a bracket 75 secured to the casing l, by suitable screws 7 6. This stitch finger lays on top of the edges of the material and is supported so that the needle may pass underneath the stitch finger and through the material. The thread loops as they are carried by the looper from one side of the material to the other are laid over aid finger. The thread passes from the supply through a suitable tension 77, thence through a thread eye 80 on the needle head 21, and thence underneath a clamping member 81. This clamping member is inthe form of a bolt having a head for clamping the thread and a spring which normally holds said bolt moved into the needle head with the head thereof against the thread, and said bolt is moved to release the thread by a rod having a canrshaped end 82 which is stationary and which engages the end of the bolt during the reciprocation of the needle.

It is noted that the looper has its head so shaped and positioned that the loop of needle thread carried thereby when positioned for the needle to enter, is not only spread wide open, but is positioned at an inclination to the path of movement of the needle, so that the needle will with certainty enter said needle thread loop.

The operation of the parts has been de the parts, and further description is not thought necessary. V

It is obvious that minor changes may be made in the details of construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention asset forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters- Patent, is

1. A sewing machine including a horizontalreciprocating needle, a main shaft, a loop er carrier, a looper mounted in said carrier for oscillations only relative thereto, means actuated by said shaft for oscillating the looper in said carrier, means actuated by said shaft for movingthe looper carrier endwise for shifting the oscillating position of the looper relative to the needle, means for supporting said looper carrier whereby the endwise movement of the looper carrier will move the looper toward and from the needle, I

said means for supporting the looper carrier being adjustable whereby the extent of movement of the looper toward the needle by the endwise movement of the carrier may be var1ed and thelooper brought 1nto proper cooperation with the needle.

2. A sewing machine including a horizontal reciprocating needle, a main shaft, a looper, a looper mounted in said carrier for oscil-' 'lftlJlOi'lS only relative thereto, means actuated by said shaft for oscillating the looper in said carrier, means actuated by said shaft for moving the looper carrier endwise for shifting the oscillating position of the looper relative to the needle, means for supporting said-looper carrier whereby the endwise movement of the looper carrier will move the looper toward and from the needle, said means for supporting said looper carrier including a link connected to the torward end of the loopor carrier and operating to raise and lower the looper during the endwise movement of thread carrying looper, a looper rod on which said looper is mounted, a looper carrier in which said looper rod mounted for oscillation, means for moving said carrier endwise and for, shifting the same in a vertical plane to-carry the looper from one side of the material to the other, means for oscillating the looper rod in the carrier including a pivoted a "in having a radial recess extending lengthwise thereof and a slot in one side leading to said recess, said looper rod having an arm PlO]QCt1Z1g therefrom on WlllCll is mounted a scribed in connection with the description of the arm, an eccentric, an eccentric strap cohead adapted to engage the radial recess in operating with said eccentric, a series of connected links and levers operated by said eccentric strap and connected to said pivoted arm for oscillating the same for giving the looper its loop taking movements and loop positioning movements.

4:- A sewing machine including a horizontal reciprocating needle, a main shaft, a looper carrier, a looper mounted in said carrier for oscillations only relative thereto, means actuated by said shaft for oscillating the loop- .er in said carrier, means actuated bysaid shaft for moving the looper carrier endwise ,for shifting the oscillating position ofthe looper relative to the needle, means for supporting said looper carrier wherebythe end- ,wise movement of the looper carrier will move the looper toward and from the needle,

said means for supporting said looper carrier including devices whereby said looper carrier may be adjusted for raising or lowering said looper to bring it into proper cooperation with the needle, said means for oscillating the looper including a pivoted arm having a radial'recessextending lengthwise thereof, and a slotin one side leading to the recess, said looper rod having an arm proj ecting therefrom on which is mounted a head adapted to engage the radial recess in said arm, an eccentric, and devices actuated thereby and connected to said arm for giving the looper its loop taking movements and loop positioning movements.

5. A sewing machine including means for supporting and feeding the material to be sewed in a vertical position, a looper, a looper rod supporting said looper, a carrier in which said looper rod is mounted for oscillation, a depending link for supporting the rear end of said carrier, an upstanding link for supporting the front end of said carrier, means for moving said carrier in an endwise direction, said links operating to move the carrier in a vertical plane and thus raise and lower the looper so that the endwise movement of the carrier will shift said looper from one side of the material to the other, means for oscillating said looper rod whereby the looper is moved into the needle thread loop at one side of the material and is retracted and positioned for the needle to enter the needle thread loop atthe other side of the material, and an adjustable bracket for supporting the upstanding link whereby the shifting of the bracket will raise or lower said looper to bring it into proper cooperation with the needle.

6; A sewing machine including in combination, means for supporting and feeding the material to be stitched in a vertical plane, a horizontally reciprocating needle, a nonthread carrying looper, a looper rod supporting said looper, a carrier in which said looper rod is mounted for oscillation, and means for moving said carrier endwise and for shifting the same in a vertical plane to carry the looper from one side of the material to the other, means for oscillating the looper rod in the carrier including a pivoted arm having a radial recess extending lengthwise thereof, and a slot at one side leading to said recess, said looper rod having'an arm projecting therefrom on which is mounted a head adapted to engage the radial recess in said arm, an eccentric, and devices actuated thereby and connected to said arm for giving said looper its loop taking movements and loop positioning movements.

7. A sewing machine including in combination, means forsupporting and feeding the material to be stitched in a vertical plane, a horizontally reciprocating needle, a nonthread carrying looper, a looper rod supporting said looper, a carrier in which said looper rod is mounted for oscillation, means for moving said carrier endwise and for shifting the same in a vertical plane to carry the looper from one side of the material to the other, and means for oscillating the looper rod 111 the carrier including a pivoted arm having a dial recess extending lengthwise thereof, and a slot at one side leading to said recess, said looper rod having an arm projecting therefrom on which is mounted a head adapted to engage said radial recess, means for oscillating said arm for giving said looper its loop taking movements and loop positioning movements, said means for oscillating the arm including an extension of the arm projecting in rear of the pivotal support therefor, a de pending link connected to said extension, a lever to which said link is pivoted, devices for oscillating said lever so as to carry the pivotal connection of the link and lever from one side of a dead center to the other, and devices for bodily raising and lowering the lever, said devices being so arranged as to move the looper forward into the needle thread loop quickly, and thence retract said looper to a position adjacent the needle on the other side of the material and giving a dwell thereto while the needle is entering the needle thread loop on the looper.

8. A sewing machine including in combination, means for supporting and feeding the materialto he stitched in a vertical plane, a horizontally reciprocating needle, a nonthread carrying looper, a looper rod support-- ing said looper, a carrier'in which said looper rod is mounted for oscillation, means for moving said carrier endwise and for shifting the same in a vertical plane to carry the looper from one side of the material to the other, means for oscillating the looper rod in the carrier including a pivoted arm having a radial recess extending lengthwise thereof, a slot at one side leading to said recess, said looper rod having an arm projecting therefrom on'which is mounted a head adapted to engage said recess, means for oscillating said arm for giving said looper its loop taking movements and loop positioning movements, said means for oscillating the arm including an extension of the arm projecting in rear of thepivotal support therefor, a depending link connected to said extension, a lever to which said link is pivoted, devices for oscillating said lever so as to carry the pivotal connection of the link and lever from one side of adead center to the other, and devices for bodily raising and lowering the lever, said devices being so arranged as to move the looper forward into the needle thread loop quickly, thence retracting said looper to a position adjacent the needle on the other side of the material and giving a dwell thereto while the needle is entering the needle thread loop on the looper, and thence move said looper slightly forward in order to clear the needle when it is raised, and finally retracting the looper to a position preparatory to moving forward into the needle thread loop.

9. A sewing machine lncludmg 1n combinatlon, means for supporting and feeding the material to be stitched in a vertical plane, a horizontally reciprocating needle, a nonthread carrying looper, a looper rod support ing said looper, a carrier in which said looper rod is mounted for oscillation, means for moving said carrier endwise and for shifting the same in a vertical plane to carry the looper from one side of the material to the other, means for oscillating the looper rod in the carrier including a pivoted arm having a radial recess extending lengthwise thereof, a slot at one side leading to said recess, said looper rod having an arm projecting therefrom on which is mounted a head adapted to engage said recess in said arm, means for oscillating said arm for giving said looper its loop taking movements and loop positioning movements, said means for oscillating the arm including an extension of the arm projecting in rear of the pivotal support therefor, a depending link connected to said extension, a lever to which said link is pivoted, an eccentric strap cooperating therewith, said eccentric strap being pivotally connected to said lever, an L-shaped lever pivoted to the frame of the machine and serving as a fulcrum support for said lever which oscillates the arm, and means joining said L-shaped lever to said eccentric strap whereby said first-named lever is raised and lowered, and the movements imparted to the arm modified so as to cause said looper to move quickly forward into the needle thread loop, and thence retract to a position adjacent the needle, and thence move forward slightly to clear the needle as it is raised and then complete its retracting movement preparatory to moving forward again into the needle thread loop.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

JAMES, R. MOFFATT. 

